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Liquid Metal Engineering PhD

Overview

PhD student loans

The UK Government has introduced PhD loans of up to £25000 to UK and EU nationals, residing in England, for postgraduate research programmes starting in the academic year 2018-19. Read more here.

About the course

Research students are welcomed to Brunel as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community. A research degree provides the opportunity to investigate a topic in depth, and contribute new knowledge to your discipline. A PhD involves demonstrating through original research or other advanced scholarship the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge at the forefront of an academic discipline or professional practice, the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the general of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline. Both full-time (3 years) and part-time (6 years) study routes are available.

MPhil degree optionAn MPhil involves the exploration of a research topic and is typically studied over a shorter period of 1 year for a full-time student and 2 years for a part-time student. MPhil students are required to demonstrate a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights informed by the forefront of their discipline, field of study or professional practice.

Research profileThe Liquid Metal Engineering theme is led by the Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidifi cation (BCAST), a dynamic research centre focused on solidifi cation and casting, which has steadily grown to become one of the largest and best-recognised groups in the field worldwide. Our vision is for ‘full metal circulation’: a world in which the demand for metallic materials is met using recycled and reused secondary metals, with only limited addition of primary metals each year. This vision is deeply rooted in the approach we take to our research, which ranges from atomic level basic research to industrial-scale trials of new technology. At the basic end, we conduct fundamental research into microstructural control through the nucleation stage of solidification, and develop novel metallic materials by crafting new alloys that have significantly improved properties and can be recycled entirely.

Our work in technology development is more practical, and involves the manufacture of highperformance metallic components and feedstock materials by innovative solidifi cation processing. Then there is our work, in close concert with industrial partners throughout the supply chain, to up-scale and transfer new technologies and develop sustainable metallurgy – studies that are wholly focused on application.

Course content

Employability

Careers and your future

Paid work available to research studentsUndertaking teaching and learning support duties represents an important professional and career development opportunity for postgraduate research students. Brunel offers two levels of paid work available to Postgraduate Research students. The first level post is as a Demonstrator and the second level post is as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). Teaching and learning support duties will vary between Departments and research students should not rely on such opportunities being available. Find out more here.

At Brunel we provide many opportunities and experiences within your degree programme and beyond – work-based learning, professional support services, volunteering, mentoring, sports, arts, clubs, societies, and much, much more – and we encourage you to make the most of them, so that you can make the most of yourself.

Entry criteria 2019/20

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree. All international students must show evidence that they meet the English requirement for their course of study. The Senate reserves the right to assess the eligibility of applicants on an individual basis.

Research statement

As part of our application process for entry on our research degree (MPhil and PhD) programmes, we ask you to provide a 500-1,000 word research statement, excluding any references/bibliography you may include, setting out your research motivation, ideas and aspirations. Learn how to prepare a research statement here.

Entry criteria are subject to review and change each academic year.

International and EU entry requirements

If your country or institution is not listed or if you are not sure whether your institution is eligible, please contact Admissions

This information is for guidance only by Brunel University London and by meeting the academic requirements does not guarantee entry for our courses as applications are assessed on case-by-case basis.

English language requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason.

We offer our own BrunELT English Test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options at the Brunel Language Centre.

Teaching and learning

Supervisors with insightOur supervisors create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip research students with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Browse all potential supervisor profiles further here: Liquid Metal Engineering Theme Members

Library servicesBrunel's library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 e-books, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject Information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs.

state-of-the-art research information management tools including a research publication and grant database

one of the largest UK’s full text repository

an integrated data management system

analytical tools such as Altmertic and InCites

Open Access centrally managed fund

Facts and figures

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The results of the REF2014 have been made public in December 2014, replacing the previous REF conducted in 2008. The next REF will be undertaken in 2020. Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 - A Guide for PhD Students

National facilitiesFor the past five years our fundamental research has been supported by BCAST’s leadership of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Liquid Metal Engineering (LiME), a national centre of excellence in solidification and casting. Having recently been awarded a further £10 million over seven years by the EPSRC, LiME will continue to provide a platform for our fundamental and long-term user-led research in the form of the Future LiME Hub, one of the first examples of the EPSRC’s new vehicle for centres of excellence in manufacturing.

Using recent major investments in BCAST, the Liquid Metal Engineering theme has established an Advanced Metal Casting Centre and an Advanced Metal Processing Centre as national facilities for scaling up metallurgical research and development on Brunel’s campus. Phase I, funded with £4 million from EPSRC, £6 million from Brunel and £8 million from industry (Jaguar Land Rover, Constellium and a number of other companies in the supply chain), has been completed in early 2016. It comprises a 1,500m2 building housing pilot or industrial scale equipment for high and low pressure die casting, direct chill casting, twin roll casting and extrusion. Phase II followed in 2017, and is being funded with £15 million from HEFCE, a further £3 million from Brunel and £62 million from industry for research. It completes the range of industrial casting equipment and house large‑scale equipment for fabricating and testing assemblies of extruded profiles, all in a second 1,500m2 building. Phase II also provides a comprehensive range of non-destructive, analytical and mechanical testing facilities, and a simulation and modelling suite.